Shireen Khan’s Story

Shireen Khan, age forty-seven is one of the affected community members residing in a sub village of Darra district, Panjsher province. A farmer by profession, Shireen is the only breadwinner of his family including his wife and eight children. Life was usual until an avalanche struck Shireen’s village on February 25, 2015. “The snow slide occurred during midnight. It ruined everything, our house, our goods and orchards, and all our valuables causing us a loss of approximately 600,000 Afs (10,000 US dollars). More than this I lost my five month old baby in this natural disaster,” shared Shireen with grief.

Furthermore he shared that overall twenty-three people are killed, six injured and thirty-five houses are destroyed from his village due to this avalanche. Awaiting emergency assistance Shireen shared, “till now we have received some support from community members and few national traders. Our land is completely destroyed; hence there is no possibility of reconstruction or any other opportunity for livelihoods. If anyone assists me I will migrate from this area and construct my new house at a different location to start a new life.”